Method and apparatus for obtaining solids from liquids



y 3, 1930. A. B. JONES 1,758,745

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING SOLIDS FROM LIQUIDS Filed Aug. 5. 1926 ATTORNEYS.

Patented May. 13, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR B. JONES, OF

PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO INDUSTRIAL ASSO- GIATES, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING SOLTDS-FBOM LIQUIDS Application filed August 5, 1926. Serial No. 127,472.

into appropriate atmospheres. My invention contemplates spray concentration of the liquid, followed by spray dispersion of the de-' rived concentrate under conditions which result in the production of the desired solids. It also contemplates diflerent temperatures for the gases introduced into the successivespray chambers, when for any reason such different temperatures are desirable-e. g., either for the protection of the solids against heat injury, or for the production of the solids when theproduct in question is liquefied relatively easily by heat. It also contemplates difli'erent degreesof concentration of the raw liquor to meet different requirements. It also contemplates a larger volume of gas in the concentration chamber than in the solidification chamber. The gas from the solidification chamber is also, in many cases, continuously delivered to the concentration chamber for the recovery of entrained fines and to aid in eifectin the concentration of the raw liquor, .althoug when treating certain liquor, this may not be desirable. Various other features of my invention will be hereinafter described or understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawing, in which I have indicated, schematically, a single illustrative lay out in which myinvention may be carried out. The plant shown comprises a concentration tower or chamber 1, and a solidification chamber or tower 2. The liquor to be treated may be derived from any suitable source, such as a storage tank 3, from Which it is discharged througha valve-controlled conduit 4 to the funnel 5 which feeds a centrifugal atomizer 6 arranged in the upper portion of the concentration tower 1. While .I prefer a centrifu al atomizer such as 6 for the spray-dispersa of the liquid, by reason of its simplicity may be mentioned the those and effectiveness, it is .not essential that a spray device of this particular character be em loyed.

he concentrate is drawn oif through pipe 7 from the bottom of the tower and is driven by pump 8 through the line 9. The riser 10 of this line is branched, one branch 11 leading past valve 12 to a down leg 13 which opens to the funnel 5. The second branch 14 from the riser 10 leads the concentrate past valve 15 to the atomizer 16 arranged in the upper portion of the solidification chamber 2. Inasmuch as the concentrate derived from the tower 1 may be such that it cannot be efliciently handled by nozzle, impact or similar spray devices, I regard it as desirable for the eflicient operation of the present process that the atomizer 16 be of the centrifugal type, preferably of the high speed type (5,000 to 10,000 R. P. M. or more) set forth in the Patents Nos. 1,624,847 and 1,67 6,113 of Champlain L. Riley .and in the copending applications of Champlain L. Riley, Ser. Nos. 97,136 and 98,838,. although thelse particular constructions are not essentia The solids produced in the -solidification chamber 2 fall to the floor 17 thereof, and are swept out by the rotary rake 18 through discharge spout 19 to a storage bin, a suitable conveyor or packaging apparatus, or are otherwise handled as may be desired.

Through both chambers pass currents of gas. In the layout shown I have indicated the derivation of the gas for both chambers from a single heater 20, which discharges through branch 21 past regulating damper 22 to an annular chamber 23 surrounding the upper portion of the solidification chamber 2,,and passes over the inwardly dished top 24 l of the latter to the inlet port 25, below, but

adjacent, which the nebulizer 16 is arranged. The gases passing downward through the chamber 2 escape around the lower margin thereof and enter the surrounding annular space 26, carrying with them in suspension fines which are so light that they are not deposited upon the floor 17 The exit gases, with their entrained fines, are led through pipe 27 to chamber 1, entering the latter through port 28 into the porof aiding,

' tion of the chamber more orless filled by the thus increase the concentration of the liquor.

derived from this chamber. In some instances these fines are of such nature that subjection to high temperature is disadvantageous. By introducing the gases from chamber 2 into, the spray of chamber 1, they are protected from injury by the hot gases. which constitute the main concentrating agent in this chamber.

These hot gases are derived, in the layout indicated, from the heater 20, through the branch conduit 29which leads the gases past damper 30 to the top. 9f the concentrating chamber 1, whence they pass downward through the port 31 413 the top-diaphragm 32 (preferably of heat-insulating material.) which forms the upper wall or roof of the chamber'l, and enter the'nebula zone at its densest point. This gas introduced into chamber 1 may safely be at a temperature as high as,-or higher than,

that of the gasl ih- .troduced into the solidification chamber 2. The conduit29 may pass through an auxiliary heater 33, of any suitable type. It will be understood, of course, that the gases entering the concentration tower may be derived from an independent heater; in which case theconduit 29 would lead to chamber 1 from such an independent heater substituted for the auxiliary heater indicated. In either case, the temperature of the gases at entry into the chambers 1 and 2, may be regulated to afford the heat desired in each chamber and-appropriate to the work effected therein.

'The'moisture laden gases from. the concentrating tower exit at 34. A certain quan- .tity of concentrate in-the form of mist (other than absorbed moisture) is carried out by the'gases. To recover-this concentrate, the

gases are preferably passed through a bafile 35 to the suction fan 36 which discharges to the stack 37. The liquidfrom the baflie 35 and from the fan 36 may be led either to the pump 8 through pipes 38 and 39, or they may be returned by an auxiliary pump (not shown) to the storage tank 3.

. Inasmuch as the gas from the solidification hamber 2 passes into the concentration tower 1 together with the fresh hot gas from conduit 29, the fan 36 must have a capacity the circulation of the gas through both chambers. Assuming that 6000 cubic feet of gas per minute enter the solidification chamber 2, through conduit 21, and 7000'cubic feet per minute enter the concentration tower through the conduit 29, the

33 diagrammatically fan 36 must have suflicient capacity to deliver 13,000 cubic feet of gas per minute.

It will also be understood that when treating liquors which are solidified in chamber 2 by chilling, rather than by absorption of moisture, it may not be desired to introduce the gases from chamber 2 into chamber 1. However, I regard such practice as desirable since even in such case, the gas in chamber 2 is somewhat warmed by'the liquor, and moreover, it is dried by the absorption of moisture therefrom by the solids as they chill. Consequently, the gas from chamber 2 is, in most cases, capable of absorbing moisture and, therefore, of doing useful work on a single passage through chamber 1 is I not sufiiciently concentrated to yield the desired solid in chamber 2. Under such conditions valve 15 is closed and valve 12 o ened, as well as the valve'40 in the feed conduit, 4. The atomizer 6 is set in motionand the pump 8 started. The damper 22' may be closed, the damper 30 inthe branch 29 opened wide, and suction fan 36 set in operation. A sufficient quantity of liquor having been a mitted past the valve 40, the latter is clos d or partially closed, and the liquor circulated through the circuits 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, until the desired concentration is eifected- The valve 12 is then partially shut, the valve 15 partially opened, as well as the valve 40. The regulation of the valvesis such that a portion of the concentrate now flows past valve 15 to the solidification chamber, while another portion fiows past valve '12 and mingles With'the raw liquor from the source 3 in such proportions that the desired concentration of the liquor which exits'at 7 is maintained during the subsequent operation of the apparatus. The concentrate passing the valve 15 is discharged to the nebulizer 16, the dampers 22 and 30 being adjusted to insure flow of gasin proper proportion through chamber 2. r The heavy. solids deposited. on the floor of this chamber are swept into the discharge chute 19 by the rake 18. The gas from the solidification chamber, with its entrained light solids, enters chamberl, where the solids are taken up and enterthe concentragte which leaves the concentrating tower at In orderto regulate the temperature of danger of excessive temperature of the gas entering the concentrating chamber is less,

since solids are not produced in this chamber.

If desired the raw liquor'from the source 3 may be preheated before it is fed to the nebulizer 6. I

' I have referred to heat injury to solids entrained by the discharge gases which leave the solidificationflchamber 2 and enter the concentrating tower 1. This is a consider ation of importance when desiccating such fluids as milk, the solids of which cannot be subjected to a temperatureof over 180 F. without having'ian unpleasant flavor imparted thereto. "The method and apparatus, however, are by no means limited to the treatment of such liquids, and in some cases the temperature of the gasentering and leaving the solidification chamber 2 may be much higher than this." Again, certain liquors, properly concentrated, solidify upon chilling. In such case'the gases entering the solidification chamber 2 may not be heated at all, and it may be necessary to heat the pipe 9 which leads-the concentrate to the solidification chamber, and also to heat the exit gases through conduit 27.

Whatever the character of the liquor, the solid product derived from chamber 2 may be varied in its physical characteristics, (for example in the size of the solid particles) by altering the fineness of the spray dispersed by the nebulizer 16 (through variations in the speed of the latter), or by varying the concentration of the liquor derived from chamber 1. The latter may be accomplished in various ways-e. g. (1) by increasing or decreasing the feed of theraw liquor; (2) dropping or raising the temperature or quantity of gas delivered to chamber 1; (3) enlarging or restricting the valve opening at 12. The flexibility of operating conditions is practically limitless, and may be readily adapted to the nature of the raw liquor and'the final solid product.

Various modifications will readily og gjeur to those dealing with the problem. Fifi example it maybe desirable to use more than one concentrating chamber arranged in series or arranged in parallel and jointly feeding to a single solidifying chamber, upward instead of downward, as shown, or in one tower the gases may pass downward and in the other upward and vice versa.

I have also indicated at 44 an air inlet to the gas conduit 29, said inlet being controlled by a damper 45, preferably connected to the damper 30 for simultaneous operation therewith. This arrangement permits all.

the gas for heater 33' to be taken from a source independent of heater 20, or partially from either source, or wholly from heater 20. The thoughts which underlie the invention are not confined to the particular layout which I have used to describe a single through the solidification and concentration chambers in the sequence specified, and introducing into the concentration chamber a supplemental current of gas at a temperature higher than the exit temperature of the gas from the solidification chamber.

2. The method of obtaining solids from liquid, which comprises spraying the liquid in a concentrating chamber, spraying the concentrate, as produced, in a solidification chamber, passing a current of gas in series through the solidification and concentration chambers in the sequence specified, and introducing independently into the concentration chamber asupplemental current of gas at a temperature higher than the exit temperature of the gas from the solidification chamber.

3. The method of obtaining solids from liquid, which comprises spraying the liquid in a concentrating chamber, spraying the concentrate, as produced, in a solidification chamber, passing a current of gas in series through the solidification and concentration chambers in the sequence specified, andintroduoing into the concentration chamber a supplemental current of gas ata temperature higher than the exit temperature of the 'gas from the solidification chamber, said higher temperature gas being brought into contact with the sprayed liquor before mingling to substantial extent with the exit gases from the solidification chamber.

4. The method of obtaining solids from liquid, which comprises concentrating the liquid by subjecting it in finely divided condition to the action of a current of heated gas, followed by dispersion of the liquid concentrate in finely divided condition in a moisture absorbent gaseous current, said latter current being introduced, with its entrained fines, into the concentrating chamber to augment the volume of gas in the concentrating region.

5. The method of obtaining solids from liquid, which comprises concentrating the liquid by subjecting it in finely divided condition to the action of a current of heated gas,

from that at which said current of heated gases enter the latter.

6. The method of obtaining solids from liquid, which comprises concentrating the 7. The method of obtaining solids fromliquid, which comprises subjecting the latter in concentrated form, but dispersed condition, to the action of a current of gas, and leading such gas, together with a supplemental current of gas, into contact with the liquid, in dispersed condition, to concentrate it.

8. The method of obtaining solids from liquid, which comprises subjecting the latter in concentrated form, but dispersed condition, to the action of a. current of gas, and leading such gas, together with a supplemental current of gas at higher temperature, into contact with the liquid, in dispersed condition, to concentrate it.

9. ThePmethod of obtaining solids, from liquid, which comprisesheating independent gaseous currents to diflerent temperatures and leadin the current of lower temperature to a solidification chamber, and the current of higher temperature to a concentration chamber, dispersing liquid in the latter, to effect its concentratlon, andleading the concentrate to, and dispersing it in, the solidification chamber, the gaseous current, With its entrained fine solids from the latter being also introduced into the concentration chamber.

10. Apparatus for recovering solids from liquids, comprising a concentration chamber and a solidification chamber, means for passing a current of gas through the solidifi cation and concentration chambers in series in the sequence stated, and means for passing into the concentration chamber an auxiliary current of gas.

11. Apparatus for recovering solids from liquids, comprising a concentration chamber and a solidification chamber, means for passing a current of gas through the solidification and concentration chambers in series in the sequence stated, and means for passing 13. Apparatus for the recovery of solids from liquids, comprising a concentration chamber and a solidification chamber, means 'for deliverin liquid in finely divided form in each of sai chambers, means for passing a current of gas from the solidification chamber to the concentration chamber, means for passing into the concentration chamber an auxiliary current of gas at a temperature higher than that of the gas derived from the solidification chamber, the latter current being introduced, into the concentration chamber at a pointremoved from the entry port for the gas of higher temperature.

. ARTHUR B. JONES.

I have signed my into the concentration chamber an auxiliary current of as at higher temperature than the exit gases om the solidification chamber. A

12. Apparatus for recovering solids from liquids, comprising a concentration chamber and a solidification chamber, means for passing a current of gas throu h the solidification and concentration cham ers in series I in the sequence stated, and means for passing into the concentration chamber an auxiliary current of gas at a temperature higher than that of the exit gases from the concentration chamber, and means for heating both of said currents. 

